With a little....

...okay, a lot of help from Christine, i am hanging up the decorating hat for this year. I now understand why folks start in early September November putting up decorations.

I may start decorating in July next year....

I still need some photos of outsides...and better ones of inside, but for now?

I'm going to go eat a Cake Ball. :)

Christmas Program....

....Emma being funny!

 

....Emma with Mrs. Cindy, her teacher from last year.

 

....Emma with Mrs. Amanda, her teacher this year.

 

....and playing after the Christmas Program.

 

So amazing to see my daughter up on stage! No, she didn't sing the songs, but she did clap for herself as if she did sing. I know that Emma knows the songs as i listen to her sing both of them all of the time....and at 3am. Perhaps my little one is shy?

I did take too many photos...and i did get some really great photos. All of the children did so very well and i could tell that the entire teaching staff worked hard.

It was magical to see....and i'm such the proud Mama!

"Girlfriends in God"....

I signed up to get these daily emails from "Girlfriends in God" some time ago. I love reading them as there always seems to be something that applies to me. I also
recieve the Proverbs 31 emails which i was introduced to by Jessica who is one of the MOPS Coordinators. Reading both of these emails are how i start my mornings...i can't tell you how much just this little bit of quiet time means to me. I get mean when i don't get my quiet time, lol...

This email newsletter below is amazing. It's by Sharon Jaynes who write for Girlfriends in God and i know that this one will remain one of my favorites for years to come. It's so very easy to get lost in the hustle and bussle of this time of years, trying to get everything done, not forget anything, wrap everything, AND stay in a holly-jolly mood. Remembering that Christmas is not just ONE day, but a season helps but it helps even more to remember why we do these things: To celebrate Christ's birthday...

December 16, 2009

1 Corinthians 13 Christmas Style

Sharon Jaynes

Today's Truth
"And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love" (1 Corinthians 13:13 NIV).

Friend To Friend
With Christmas just around the corner, it is easy to get so busy with the cooking, decorating and shopping that we forget why we're doing all this in the first place. Sometimes, the very people we love get lost in the hustle and bustle of packed schedules, holiday parties, and Christmas musicals. This Christmas, let's keep our focus on Jesus and not forget to invite the honored guest to His own birthday celebration.

Today, I want to share a poem that I wrote a few years ago that helps me keep a proper perspective on Christmas.


1 Corinthians 13 Christmas Style

©By Sharon Jaynes

If I decorate my house perfectly with lovely plaid bows, strands of twinkling lights, and shiny glass balls, but do not show love to my family - I'm just another decorator.

If I slave away in the kitchen, baking dozens of Christmas cookies, preparing gourmet meals, and arranging a beautifully adorned table at mealtime, but do not show love to my family - I'm just another cook.

If I work at the soup kitchen, carol in the nursing home, and give all that I have to charity, but do not show love to my family - it profits me nothing.

If I trim the spruce with shimmering angels and crocheted snowflakes, attend a myriad of holiday parties, and sing in the choir's cantata but do not focus on Christ, I have missed the point.

Love stops the cooking to hug the child.

Love sets aside the decorating to kiss the husband.

Love is kind, though harried and tired.

Love doesn't envy another home that has coordinated Christmas china and table linens.

Love doesn't yell at the kids to get out of your way.

Love doesn't give only to those who are able to give in return, but rejoices in giving to those who can't.

Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things.

Love never fails. Video games will break; pearl necklaces will be lost; golf clubs will rust. But giving the gift of love will endure.

Let's Pray
Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for sending your Son, Jesus, that starry night in Bethlehem. Like the Shepherds, I am still amazed at Your great love. May I not lose sight of the true meaning of Christmas, but celebrate Jesus' birthday with joy!

What a gift!!

 

My friend Missy sent this to me for Christmas.

Sending me Jelly Belly Jelly Beans is like sending a crack addict, well, lots of crack.

But...

....this gift?

Is. The. Best. Gift. EVER.

I told myself that i wasn't going to open the box of Jelly Bellys. That i was going to wait; "wait" for what, i don't know. Of course, i only lasted one second about 5 minutes before i had RIPPED opened my gift.

FIFTY INDIVIDUAL FLAVORS.

Oh. My.

Yes, it was like love at first bite sight.

Of course, at that very moment, Emma decides to toddle up asking "wat dat?"....and i, being the safe Mommy because Jelly Beans aren't safe for a two year old, slam the top back on so she can't see my crack Jelly Beans.

Lucky for me, bed time for Emma was right around the corner.

After Emma is safely tucked in, i sit on the couch in front of the TV with my gift. I realize that there is a 'recipe' of sorts included, where you can mix different Jelly Beans to get different flavors. How smart of the Jelly Belly folks!

~Blueberry Jelly Belly + Buttered Popcorn Jelly Belly = Blueberry Muffin
~Strawberry Jam Jelly Belly + French Vanilla Jelly Belly = Strawberry Shortcake
~Lemon/Lime Jelly Belly + Lime Sunkist Jelly Belly = Sprite

sigh....i was in sugar heaven-high for quite a while. :)

Oh, yes, that was a FANTASTIC gift!

Thank you, Missy....you're the BESTEST friend ever!

A Sunny Spot...

 

 

 

One of my favorite rooms in this house is near the kitchen. I guess it's technically a sitting room but it's become more of a sun room for me. It's has the most amazing windows that let the sun come in; even Emma will lay on the small, comfy couch and soak up some of those rays. It's also where i have most of my plants...i love to sit in this area and read.

As much as i love plants and flowers, there have been a few plants that i have stayed away from. At garden stores, some plants cower when i walk by, hoping that they won't be the next victim plant that i pick out to take home. My green thumb is covered by huge black spots which show how many plants i've killed with my attention haven't made it. But while in a store a few weeks ago, i spot these two amazing, beautiful plants that meet my strict criteria:

1. The plants were marked down from $24.99 to $4.99
2. They weren't dead yet

But they were Orchids. I've never bought these beautiful plants because, well, i had heard that they were difficult to grow. They were marked down, so, off the three (me and the two victims plants) go. Really, i thought to myself, how hard could it be? The plants both had the little card of directions attached....

I'm proud to say that the two Orchid plants are doing beautifully in their sunny spot. Both plants have bloomed new flowers that are stunning. So, for now, all is well with my two new friends. Maybe word will make it out to other plants that i haven't tried that i am not the plant-killer that i appear to be...

A Peanut Butter Ball....

 

Yum.

It's a Peanut Butter Ball.

Mine look a little different as i had some white chocolate left over (but semi-sweet chocolate would have been really good....)so i dipped my Peanut Butter Balls instead of rolling them in corn flakes (not sure about the corn flakes, btw....) or finely chopped nuts (i would use pecans instead of walnuts....).

Yep, these are yummy.

And they will be leaving this house shortly as Peanut Butter Balls and i can't be in the same room together without me eating every last one of them eating more than one.

Here's the recipe:

Peanut Butter Balls (Paula Deen)

Ingredients:

1 cup peanut butter
1 cup honey
2 cups of powered milk
1 1/2 cups of cornflakes
1 1/2 cups of finely chopped walnuts or pecans
1 cup of powdered sugar

Directions:

~Mix peanut butter, honey and milk together in a large bowl to form a very, very thick mixture. Roll mixture into small balls about the size of a walnut. Roll the balls in either crushed cornflakes, finely chopped nuts, or powered sugar. Place on waxed paper and refrigerate for 20 minutes. Yields 18/20 pieces

....photos

 

 

 

 

...of Emma yesterday while i was trying to keep my head from pounding off my shoulders.

For fun, Emma likes to sit on balloons.

And play with ornaments on our fugly beautiful tree upstairs.

Emma's favorite ornament right now is the "Gwatwamala Awngel" on this fugly beautiful tree upstairs.

The downstairs tree?

sigh....it's a work in progress. Hopefully, i'll finish before December 24th rolls around.

Older photos....

I'm sick.

Emma seems like she's getting sick.

Again.

It's 3:30am and i can't sleep.

So, i went looking through files of photos that i have...

...and found these from our first Christmas together two years ago.

Amazing.

Beautiful.

Funny.

Emma.

'Tis the season....

 

 

 

 

...that there is much to do and what seems like little time to do it all. Decorating, baking, Christmas parties, driving around looking at Christmas lights, visiting Santa and getting your photo taken...the list is endless. But it's different this year. Very different. This year, i'm truly able to see Christmas through Emma's eyes. How lights are simply amazing and beautiful no matter if the lights seem slung on trees; how decorating is something to enjoy and have fun with no matter how you do it; how even cookies that don't look beautiful and perfect are still yummy, and how it's okay to take baby Jesus from the Little People Naivety play set to bed with you. To see Christmas this way, well, makes you slow down and really, really take a look around and take joy in the season and the folks that you love around you.

Emma has been really good about the tree. She's only taken the stuffed reindeer's off of the tree in the family room. Emma touches the ornaments on the bigger tree downstairs in awe....and everything she touches is "bootuful". While i was putting some of the ornaments on the tree, i remember thinking "Is this ornament pretty enough to be on this tree?". I now realize that the ornaments on the tree downstairs, the older ones ornaments, the shatter-proof ornaments recently purchases, the home-made ornaments, all deserves their place on our tree. And it does look "bootuful" with all of them on there together. Letting go of my idea of how the tree decorations, the outdoor decorations, the house decoration need to be "perfect" is hard....after all, so many of my friends decorate like they are Martha-In-Training. But there is joy here in the house with Emma and that is so much more important than me fussing over a tree.

It's also fun to see Emma's language explode. Questions, "wat's dtat?", comments, screams, and requests seem to be never ending. There is frustration on her part that she doesn't sometimes know the words to put together when she's angry and that usually results in a meltdown or a hitting episode (i have to admit my frustration in getting her to stop hitting us....especially when she hits no one else!) that gets out of hand for her. From chatting with some of my girl friends with two year olds, it seems that this is the life of a two year old! I have gotten a little better at the 'stopping-before-it-starts' but some days, i think that this is truly God's way of teaching me patience. I'm sure that God has been frustrated at some of the things i've done so i'm thankful that His grace is endless...and hope that my patience will be during the two year old stage.

I have constant thoughts about my Mom. I know that she would have loved visiting us, spending holidays and birthdays with us. She would have loved this house with it's windows and open plan. It makes me smile and brings tears to my eyes when i think of how much she would have played and loved on Emma. And i know that Emma would have loved her back. The pain of loosing her hasn't lessened and seems to have moved on to a constant ache. I have come to the conclusion that one doesn't get over the loss of their mother. It leaves a hole in your heart and soul. But i realize how blessed i was to have her for 40 years. My Mom's birthday is on Christmas day so i'll make a cake for her even though there will be more than enough desserts to choke a horse. She loved cheesecake so, like the past two years, it will be a cheesecake.

I have things to finish up and it's nap time. (yay for nap time!)

btw, these photos aren't mine. Robert's beautiful niece, Hannah, took them for me when they came to visit us during Thanksgiving.

I did it!

Okay, this might not be such a big deal to most folks, but i am not the sharpest tool in the shed when it comes to computers. I have learned a lot...but have SO much to learn.

I've wanted to learn how to make or modify a blog header and not have one that comes with the background. I've tried, and tried some more to learn, but i just couldn't figure it out.

Until last night... (okay, this morning at 3am!)

I was laying in bed and just like PRESTO! that, i figured it out.

So, off to the computer i go...(nothing like getting up at 3am to get on the computer) and i linked to my favorite blog site. I managed to transfer the header...and then, i was able to GET MY WORDS ON IT!! I even got a photo on it, but i didn't like it so i changed it.

Oh, yes, i'm feeling mighty smart. :)

If you'd like me to help you, for a plate of freshly baked Christmas cookies let me know, and i'll help. I can also for a HUGE PLATE of freshly baked Christmas cookies or cleaning services can do it for you. ;)

It's not often that i'm this pleased with myself...can you tell?